Very nice work! We do a lot of ponds and i will give you one of our best kept secrets. Mix 3-4 different sizes of gravel together. We will take 1yd 3/8, 2yds 3/4, 1yd 2" and then 1/2yd 4-6". We will mix all of it together in a bin at our yard and then use it for our streams. A mixture in this range takes the natural look up several notches. Also, varying the size of your boulders like you did in your first one makes a BIG difference. The key to natural looking streams is to avoid any uniformity. One other secret that we have found is to replace a few of the boulders with dirt mounds so you can put plants right up next to the water. It eliminates that "necklace" look and softens the edges. It doesn't look quite as finished prior to the planting, but once the plants go in, it looks like God put it there not us.

You do incredible work. Thanks for the specs. I would definitely advertise your water features A LOT! I don't know the market in NE, but out here you wouldn't be doing anything else but water, after customers saw those pics.

__________________
All the places I've been and things I've seen.
A million stories that made up, a million shattered dreams.
The faces of people Ill never see again and I cant seem to find my way home. "5fdp"

Very nice work! We do a lot of ponds and i will give you one of our best kept secrets. Mix 3-4 different sizes of gravel together. We will take 1yd 3/8, 2yds 3/4, 1yd 2" and then 1/2yd 4-6". We will mix all of it together in a bin at our yard and then use it for our streams. A mixture in this range takes the natural look up several notches. Also, varying the size of your boulders like you did in your first one makes a BIG difference. The key to natural looking streams is to avoid any uniformity. One other secret that we have found is to replace a few of the boulders with dirt mounds so you can put plants right up next to the water. It eliminates that "necklace" look and softens the edges. It doesn't look quite as finished prior to the planting, but once the plants go in, it looks like God put it there not us.

Thank you very much for the tips. I will try that if I get anymore to install. Do you possibly have any pictures of some you have installed? I love seeing pictures of them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rlee

You do incredible work. Thanks for the specs. I would definitely advertise your water features A LOT! I don't know the market in NE, but out here you wouldn't be doing anything else but water, after customers saw those pics.

Thank you very much for the tips. I will try that if I get anymore to install. Do you possibly have any pictures of some you have installed? I love seeing pictures of them.

Thank you! Looks like I'm moving!

Here is one that I have handy. It is going into a pond. I will try to dig up some more when I get on my other computer.
This example is more of what I call a "babbling brook" rather than the traditional "falls". We have found that they look more natural and the sound is much more soothing. I find that if the customer is looking for a waterfeature that will be next to their patio, they want to be able to have a conversation and the water not overpower it. Also, the faster moving water with large falls tends to amp people up as opposed to calming them down. We design according to the customer's application.

Now, here is what you don't want to do! I got this in an email yesterday from a lady we met at the homeshow in March. She had hired some guy that said he could build her a pondless waterfeature. She actually had tears when she saw our display and said "that's what I thought I was getting". It makes me so angry that guys will tell a customer they can do something that they are not willing to at least try to do it right!
Now, I have to find a way to get her into the real deal but she already spent her money with this guy. I hate these situations!

Let's face reality, in this business you have contractors and you have craftsmen. Both can build a functional system, but only the craftsman can create the perfect visual effect.

Your'e absolutely correct! Although I have not determined if the guy who built that last one I posted was a contractor. My guess is he was a maintenance guy who said "sure, I can build one".

We retail pond supplies and kits and I always tell our customers that just like "Michaels', I can sell you the art supplies but the question is can you create a 'Picaso' with them. We have spent thousands of hours building ponds and taking nature hikes to get to where we are. Nobody is going to do their best work on their first build. Once I explain that concept to people, they almost always opt to pay the extra for us to install it.

I am starting a pondless feature this week. I have built them for myself and family, but never for a customer. I plan on using your pictures (along with pics I have taken in the woods) for inspiration. I am going to the local pond supply store today to look at material. I am not sure what I am going to get there, if anything. I have always used silo cap for a liner and I will probably use a little giant pump. I will look at the flex freeze hose. Once I'm done with this job, I will start a thread and post step by step pics.

Thank you for sharing your pics. You surely have an eye for this.

__________________
All the places I've been and things I've seen.
A million stories that made up, a million shattered dreams.
The faces of people Ill never see again and I cant seem to find my way home. "5fdp"